Aug. 27, 2018
07:27 am JST

Aug. 27, 2018
07:57 am JST

"Abe gets people as excited as cold pizza..."

Cold, stale pizza with no cheese, tomato or other toppings on it. Jeffrey Kingston has obviously never read some of the hilarious attempts by pro-Abe people to talk him up like he's the greatest statesman ever, though. I imagine a few of them will be along soon with their usual "great job Abe san, stay the course, only you can lead Japan" nonsense.

Aug. 27, 2018
08:35 am JST

With China's back up, Abe will win another term. I hope Abe will honor his words to visit China in October. Abe is an extremely lucky man, he gets all opportunities to be a great PM: October 1978, Deng visited Japan for a good-will trip. Will Abe deliver in his October visit 40 years later ? We all wish Abe the best.

Aug. 27, 2018
09:05 am JST

Aug. 27, 2018
10:04 am JST

PM Abe is the best man for the job. He will become the longest ever Japanese PM, a period of economic boom and growing Japanese strength in the world. PM Abe will take Koizumi Shinjirō under his wings as "apprentice", and will hand over the reign to him in 2023, once Constitution Reform has been realized.

Aug. 27, 2018
10:14 am JST

Aug. 27, 2018
10:16 am JST

It's already been decided in a smoky club or bar around Ginza by Abe, his cronies and his backers. Favours due, favours owed, family obligations, they will all have had a say. That's democracy, J-style.

Aug. 27, 2018
10:49 am JST

Aug. 27, 2018
11:04 am JST

Aug. 27, 2018
11:08 am JST

"It is my responsibility to respond to the mandate of the people," Abe told reporters during a trip to southwestern Japan. “I am resolved to steer Japan for another three years as LDP president and prime minister."

How could he ever say he has "responsibility to respond to the mandate of the people" when in fact his supporting votes would come only from a fraction of LDP lawmakers in the Diet and LDP-registered members? Or does "the people" here refer only to these people?

Aug. 27, 2018
11:31 am JST

They know how to dupe elderly country folk and game the system so they can keep winning elections, though.

voiceofokinawaToday 11:08 am JST

How could he ever say he has "responsibility to respond to the mandate of the people" when in fact his supporting votes would come only from a fraction of LDP lawmakers in the Diet and LDP-registered members?

It sounds better than admitting that he won because LDP voters are over-represented and almost half of the electorate couldn't be bothered to vote at all.

Aug. 27, 2018
02:25 pm JST

---"Abe gets people as excited as cold pizza but will win because he co-opts, sidelines and intimidates potential LDP rivals, and doesn't have to worry about tepid public support because the opposition has imploded," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University Japan campus.---

That explains all, LDP backers YES, public support NO. Political unfairness in Japan, continues...